GUWAHATI, July 26 - A two-day online capacity building training on investigative journalism for journalists and students of journalism was organised on July 25 and 26.
The training was a collaborative effort of the Department of Mass Communication, Assam Don Bosco University (ADBU); Gauhati Press Club; the Centre for Investigative Journalism (India); and DataLEADS.�
The key objectives of the training programme were to increase the understanding of investigative journalism, improve the knowledge and capacity of journalists to effectively report investigative stories, build on the professional skills of journalists and the knowledge of quality journalism standards in the field of investigative reporting, and impart skills on the tools and techniques of investigative reporting.
The resource persons for the first day were David E Kaplan, executive director, Global Investigative Journalism Network, and Sonia Bhaskar, head, TV-Web Synergy, NDTV.
Kaplan, delivering his lecture on the topic �Art and craft of investigative journalism� highlighted the five frames of investigative journalism and the challenges and opportunities in the field.
Sonia Bhaskar delivered her lecture on �Online tools for verification of content� and demonstrated free online tools that journalists can utilise to fact-check information.�
On the second day, Nisha Bhambhani, lawyer, Supreme Court of India, delivered a lecture on �Legal and ethical concerns of investigative journalism� orienting the participants on various legal concerns of investigative reporting in India, including the Defamation Act, sedition, privacy issues, disclosure/confidentiality of sources, RTI Act, IT Act, and Official Secrets Act.
Syed Nazakat, founder and editor-in-chief, DataLEADS, delivered his lecture on �Emerging trends in investigative journalism� highlighting major developments in investigative journalism globally, the importance of collaboration among media enterprises, the wide-ranging and profound influence of artificial intelligence (AI) on the production and consumption of news, and the successful adoption of AI in newsrooms.
GPC president Manoj Kumar Nath and general secretary Sanioy Ray also spoke during the programme.
The two-day event was moderated by Kaushik Bhuyan and Arup Baruah, assistant professors, Assam Don Bosco University.
